Runners



(No Model.)

R. A. MERCHANT.

FASTENER FOR UMBRELLA RUNNERS. No. 343,963. Patented June 15, 1886.

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,Unr'rno STA rise Parent @nrrcm ROBERT A. MERCHANT, OF WVATERTOlVN, NEVV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO W. WV. CONDE, OF SAME PLACE.

FASTENER FOR UMBRELLA RUNNERS.

forming part'of Letters Patent No. 8%3963, dated June 15, 1886.

Application filed July 13, 1883. Serial No. 100,749. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, Bonner A. MnRoHANr, of Watertown, in the county of J eilerson and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fastenings for Umbrella-Runners, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in runners or slides to which the rib-braces of umbrellas are connected for the purpose of effecting the opening and closing of the umbrella, and maintaining it'in either an opened or closed condition; and the object of my improvement is to provide a simple, reliable, and durable device for fastening the runner at both extremities of its movement. This object I attain by means of the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a vertical elevation of an umbrella-stick, broken in the direction of its length, provided with my improved fastening device, and showing the runner at the upper extremity of its movement; and Fig. 2, a like view with the runner at the opposite extremity of its movement, therunner and annular catches being shown in vertical section.

As represented in the drawings, A is the stick or handle of an umbrella unprovided with any of the attached parts excepting those relating to my invention.

Bis the runner, made in the usual cylin drical form, and provided at its upper end with the projecting flange b, to which the ribbraces may be connected in the ordinary manner. At the lower end of said runner a hollow ball-shaped enlargement, b, is formed for the purpose of containing the lower catch, and for covering the lower catch-piece when the umbrella is closed.

O is a hook or catch inserted in an opening formed in the side of the enlargement b, and pivoted to the runner B by means of the pin 0,- and a like hook, G, is pivoted to the flange I), either by the wire which connects the ribbraces to the runner, or by means of an independent pin. The hooks C and C are arranged in opposite directions longitudinally with the runner B, and are connected together,

by means of the spring in such manner that a pressure applied to the back of said spring will cause a simultaneous rising of the outer ends of both hooks, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. The said hooks may be made of either cast or stamped metal, or they and the intervening spring may be made of wire bent into the required form; and the said hooks may be made separately and the spring secured or attached in any manner that will enable the said spring to operate the hooks, as above set forth, or the hooks and spring may be integral.

D represents catch-pieces, preferably made in annular form, secured to the stick A at the extremity of the movement in both directions of the runner B. The said eatchpieces have their peripheries made in a conical form, and

the larger end of them is made slightly dishing, so as to enable the hooks O and O to obtain a secure hold thereto. The two catchpieces are immovably fixed to the stick A, as shown in the drawings, with their smaller ends toward each other. When preferred, short catch-pieces (eithersegmental or straight) may be substituted for the annular ones herein shown and described, but preferably I use the latter.

"When the runner B is engaged by one of its hooks to a catclrpiece, D, by pressing down the spring (3 the hooks t) and 0' will be elevated, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, to disengage the hook, and the runner B may then be slid along the stick A to the opposite catclrpiece, wherewith the proper hook will readily engage to secure the umbrella in an opened or closed condition, as the occasion may require.

\Vhen required, the spring may be inclosed in a cover, provision being made by means of a suitable opening, or by a projecting buttomfor applying pressure to said spring to effect the disengagement of the hooks in the manner hereinbefore described.

While my invention is described herein as an improvement in fastenings for umbrellarunners, it is obvious that it is also applicable, without further invention, to parasols, sunshades, and other similar articles; and I desire to have it understood that my invention embraces in its scope any use to which it can be applied.

Being aware that umbrella-runners have heretofore been made with two catches in sepa- 5 rate pieces jointed together, and with an independent spring placed under them, I do not claim such a construction; but I claim as my invention 1. The umbrella-runner B, provided with 10 the hooks or catches O O at its opposite ends, each of said hooks being secured to said runner by means of a pivot-pin, and both hooks being held together by means of a continuous spring-connection, O, as herein described, in combination with the coniform catch-pieces I 5 D, as and for the purpose herein specified.

2. An umbrella-runner, B, provided with hooks or catches O and O at its opposite ends, the said hooks being connected by means of the spring 0 so as to produce a simultaneous 2o movement of both hooks, as herein specified.

ROBERT A. MERCHANT.

Witnesses:

HENRY PURoELL, WILLIAM W. (JoNDE. 

